Camera-equipped cellular phone

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a portable telephone with camera including a casing provided with an auxiliary light window  23  adjacent to a camera window  22 , and an auxiliary light source  8  disposed in the rear of the auxiliary light window  23  and emitting light in photographing with a camera  7 . A main optical cover  4  is mounted on the casing for covering the camera window  22  and the auxiliary light window  23 . The main optical cover  4  has an opening  43  formed at a position opposed to the auxiliary light window  23 . An auxiliary optical cover  5  is fitted around the opening  43 . A flange  53  projects from an outer periphery portion of the auxiliary optical cover  5 . The flange  53  is held between a flange portion  25  surrounding the auxiliary light window  23  and formed on the casing, and an edge portion  43   a  defining the opening  43  and formed on the main optical cover  4.

TECHINICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to portable telephones integrally equippedwith a camera to allow the user to take a picture.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years portable telephones with camera have been in wide use.For example, a portable telephone with camera shown in FIG. 9 comprisesan upper half case 20 and lower half case 30 which are connected by ahinge mechanism 104 to provide a foldable portable telephone. Anauxiliary display 101 and a camera window 102 are disposed on an outersurface of the upper half case 20. A CCD camera (not shown) is providedin the rear of the camera window 102. Furthermore, arranged in a sideportion of the camera window 102 on an outer surface of the upper halfcase 20 is a mirror member 103 for projecting the user's self imagethereon to thereby adjust the direction of the camera when the user isto photograph the user's self image.

However, the conventional portable telephone with camera has the problemthat when a picture is taken with the CCD camera in the dim light,natural light does not provide sufficient brightness to make the takenimage unclear. An auxiliary light source is arranged on the portabletelephone with camera for making up for the brightness in photographing.

The portable telephones have become increasingly made compact. When sucha compact portable telephone has arranged thereon the CCD camera and theauxiliary light source, the CCD camera and the auxiliary light sourceneed to be mounted in the close proximity. Accordingly it is necessaryto provide a main optical cover for covering the CCD camera and anauxiliary optical cover for covering the auxiliary light source whichare in contact with one another. In this case the main optical cover andthe auxiliary optical cover need to be mounted on the casing in acompact structure and with a sufficient strength. Furthermore it isnecessary that the two optical covers be mounted on the casing withease.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable telephonewith camera wherein the main optical cover and the auxiliary opticalcover are mountable on the casing in a compact structure and with asufficient strength, and the two optical covers are further mountable onthe casing with ease.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable telephone with cameraincluding a casing 1 provided with an auxiliary light window 23 adjacentto a camera window 22, and an auxiliary light source 8 disposed in therear of the auxiliary light window 23 and emitting light inphotographing with a camera 7. A main optical cover 4 is mounted on thecasing 1 for covering the camera window 22 and the auxiliary lightwindow 23. The main optical cover 4 has an opening 43 formed at aposition opposed to the auxiliary light window 23. An auxiliary opticalcover 5 is fitted around the opening 43.

A flange 53 projects from an outer periphery portion of the auxiliaryoptical cover 5. A flange portion 25 surrounding the auxiliary lightwindow 23 is formed on the casing 1. An edge portion 43 a defining theopening 43 is formed on the main optical cover 4. The flange 53 of theauxiliary optical cover 5 is held between the flange portion 25 of thecasing 1 and the edge portion 43 a of the main optical cover 4.

With the portable telephone with camera of the present invention, themain optical cover 4 is mounted on the casing 1, and the auxiliaryoptical cover 5 is further mounted on the main optical cover 4.Therefore the telephone has more simple structure and is made morecompact than that wherein the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliaryoptical cover 5 are separately mounted on the casing 1.

The auxiliary optical cover 5 has the flange 53 projecting from theouter periphery and which is held between the flange portion 25 of thecasing 1 and the edge portion 43 a of the main optical cover 4, so thatwhen a great depressing force is applied to the auxiliary optical cover5, the auxiliary optical cover 5 is received by the flange portion 25 ofthe casing 1. Accordingly the auxiliary optical cover 5 will never beremoved from the main optical cover 4.

The auxiliary optical cover 5 is mounted on the main optical cover 4 toprovide one integrated optical cover, and thereafter the one integratedoptical cover is mounted on the casing 1, whereby the assemble step ismade easy.

Stated specifically, an adhesive layer is interposed between opposedfaces of the flange 53 of the auxiliary optical cover 5 and the edgeportion 43 a of the main optical cover 4. An adhesive layer is alsointerposed between opposed faces of the flange 53 of the auxiliaryoptical cover 5 and the flange portion 25 of the casing 1. Accordinglythe auxiliary optical cover 5 is secured to the casing 1 and the mainoptical cover 4. According to the specific construction, adhesive layersare respectively interposed between opposed faces of the flange 53 ofthe auxiliary optical cover 5 and the edge portion 43 a of the mainoptical cover 4, and between opposed faces of the flange 53 of theauxiliary optical cover 5 and the flange portion 25 of the casing 1, tothereby provide a high level of waterproof and dustproof protectionbetween the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliary optical cover 5.

As described above, the present invention provides a portable telephonewith camera wherein the main optical cover and the auxiliary opticalcover are mountable on the casing in a compact structure and with asufficient strength, and the two optical covers are further mountable onthe casing with ease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable telephone embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in section taken along the line A—A of theportable telephone;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section showing a main optical cover andan auxiliary light source which are mounted on an upper half case;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the portable telephone;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main assembly of theportable telephone;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view in section of the main assembly of theportable telephone;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the auxiliary optical cover;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view in section of the auxiliary optical cover;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the conventional portable telephone withcamera.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the present invention will be described below indetail with reference to the drawings. The portable telephone withcamera of the present invention comprises an upper half case 2 and lowerhalf case 3 which are connected by a hinge mechanism 10 to provide afoldable portable telephone as shown in FIG. 1. A main board 31 andsub-board 32 are installed inside a casing 1 as shown in FIG. 2.

Mounted on the main board 31 is a liquid crystal display 6 serving as anauxiliary display as shown in FIG. 4. Mounted on the sub-board 32 are aCCD camera 7 and an auxiliary light source 8 comprising LED. Provided onthe upper half case 2 are a display window 21 for exposing the liquidcrystal display 6, a camera window 22 for exposing the CCD camera 7, andan auxiliary light window 23 for exposing the auxiliary light source 8.

Mounted on the upper half case 2 are a main optical cover 4 for closingthe display window 21 and the camera window 22, and an auxiliary opticalcover 5 for closing the camera window 22. The main optical cover 4 ismade of a transparent resin containing polycarbonate or acrylic. Themain optical cover 4 is formed with a transparent display-window coverportion 41, which is opposed to the liquid crystal display 6, and isalso formed with a transparent camera-window cover portion 42, which isopposed to the CCD camera 7. The remaining surface area of the mainoptical cover 4 is decorated with printing. Furthermore the main opticalcover 4 is formed with an opening 43 which is to be fitted to theauxiliary optical cover 5.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the auxiliary optical cover 5 comprises amain body 54 having a flange 53 projecting from an outer periphery andmade of transparent resin containing polycarbonate or acrylic, and anouter periphery layer portion 55 formed on the outer peripheral surfaceof the main body 54 and made of ABS resin. Such a two-layer structurecan be easily formed by a known double injection molding. The outerperipheral portion of the auxiliary optical cover 5 is plated withnickel by electroless plating to thereby form a light-shield surface 52which is selectively nickel-plated over the ABS resin. The lighttransmission rate of the light-shield surface 52 is preferably less than10%.

The auxiliary optical cover 5 is formed with a half-mirror treatedsurface 51 by applying to the surface of the main body 54, aluminum,gold, silver, chromium, or titanium, etc. In this case, a visible lighttransmission rate of the half-mirror treated surface 51 is in the rangeof 10% to 90%. As the transmission rate is higher, the surface has moreimproved function of mirror while the attenuation rate of the auxiliarylight is increased, so that the light transmission rate is suitably setdepending on brightness of the auxiliary light source 8.

The upper half case 2 is formed with a stepped wall 26 for mounting themain optical cover 4 as shown in FIG. 5. The stepped wall 26 is providedwith the display window 21 and the camera window 22. A flange portion 25projects from the stepped wall 26 for receiving the flange 53 of theauxiliary optical cover 5. The auxiliary light window 23 is providedinside the flange portion 25.

When the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliary optical cover 5 are tobe mounted on the upper half case 2, double-faced adhesive tapes 9 areinterposed, respectively, between opposed faces of the stepped wall 26of the upper half case 2 and the main optical cover 4, between opposedfaces of the flange 53 of the auxiliary optical cover 5 and the mainoptical cover 4, and between opposed faces of the flange 53 of theauxiliary optical cover 5 and the flange portion 25 of the upper halfcase 2, and the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliary optical cover 5are then secured to the upper half case 2, as shown in FIG. 6.

In the above procedure, at first, the auxiliary optical cover 5 ismounted on the main optical cover 4 with the double-faced adhesive tape9, and the main optical cover 4 is thereafter mounted on the upper halfcase 2 with the double-faced adhesive tape 9. This makes mountingprocess easier than that in the case where the main optical cover andthe auxiliary optical cover are separately mounted on the upper halfcase. Therefore, the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliary opticalcover 5 are integrated into one optical cover.

The flange 53 of the auxiliary optical cover 5 is held between theflange portion 25 of the upper half case 2 and an edge portion 43 adefining its opening of the main optical cover 4 as seen in FIG. 3.Accordingly even if a great depressing force is applied to the auxiliaryoptical cover 5, the auxiliary optical cover will never fall off to theinterior of the casing since the auxiliary optical cover 5 is receivedby the flange portion 25 of the upper half case 2.

The double-faced adhesive tape 9 is interposed, respectively, betweenthe flange 53 of the auxiliary optical cover 5 and the edge portion 43 aof the main optical cover 4, and between the flange 53 and the flangeportion 25 of the upper half case 2, to thereby provide waterproof anddustproof protection completely between the main optical cover 4 and theauxiliary optical cover 5.

With the portable telephone with camera described, the CCD camera 7,which is opposed to a cover portion 42 of camera window of the mainoptical cover 4, can receive light passing through the cover portion 42of camera window and impinging on the camera as shown in FIG. 2. Thisenables the user to photograph a subject positioned in front of thecamera.

The auxiliary light source 8 is opposed to the auxiliary optical cover5. Light emitted from the auxiliary light source 8 in large part passesthrough the half-mirror treated surface 51 of the auxiliary opticalcover 5, so that the subject positioned in front of the camera can beilluminated by light emission of the auxiliary light source 8. In thiscase the light emission from the auxiliary light source 8 does not leakout from the auxiliary optical cover 5 to the main optical cover 4because the light-shield surface 52 is formed around the outerperipheral surface of the auxiliary optical cover 5. The light emission,therefore, does not impinge on the CCD camera 7. Thus there is nolikelihood that the photographed image with the CCD camera 7 hasdegradation of picture quality due to halation. On the other hand, lightfrom outside impinging on the auxiliary optical cover 5 in large part isreflected on the half-mirror treated surface 51, so that the subjectpositioned in front of the camera is caught on the half-mirror treatedsurface 51.

Accordingly, when the user's self image is to be photographed with theCCD camera 7, the direction of the casing 1 is adjusted so that theuser's self image can be caught on the auxiliary optical cover 5, andthen the user manipulates the shutter with the self image caught on theauxiliary optical cover 5. This causes the auxiliary light source 8 toemit light, and at the same time, the CCD camera 7 performs aphotographing operation, with the result that the user's self image isphotographed with sufficient brightness.

With the portable telephone with camera of the present invention, theauxiliary optical cover 5 not only performs the function of a lightemission window of the auxiliary light source 8, but performs thefunction of a mirror member wherein the subject is caught on thehalf-mirror treated surface 51 of the auxiliary optical cover 5, asdescribed above. Therefore, it is not necessary to save space forproviding the mirror member in addition to space for providing theauxiliary optical cover 5, whereby the casing 1 can be made compact.

Furthermore, the auxiliary optical cover 5 is fitted around the opening43 of the main optical cover 4 to provide one optical cover, so that theCCD camera 7 can be mounted in the closest proximity to the auxiliarylight source 8. Accordingly the casing 1 can be made compact.

The device of the present invention is not limited to the foregoingembodiment in construction but can be modified variously within thetechnical scope defined in the appended claims. For example, a camerahaving CMOS as an image pick-up device can be used in place of the CCDcamera 7. A halogen lamp can also be used as the auxiliary light source8 instead of LED.

The half-mirror treated surface 51 can also be formed on the rearsurface of the auxiliary optical light cover 5. Instead of the metallicthin film for forming the half-mirror treated surface 51, an organicthin film can also be used. Furthermore, while the half-mirror treatedsurface 51 is formed on the front surface of the auxiliary optical cover5, the rear surface is lens-surface treated to give the auxiliary lensfunction to the auxiliary optical cover 5.

For the light shield between the main optical cover 4 and the auxiliaryoptical cover 5, the light shield surface 52 need not always be formedaround the outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary optical cover 5.Alternatively, an inner peripheral portion of the opening 43 of the mainoptical cover 4 can be given the light shield treatment.

1. A portable telephone having a display (6) and a camera (7) mounted asopposed to a display window (21) and a camera window (22), respectively,provided on a casing (1), the portable telephone with camera beingcharacterized in that the casing (1) is provided with an auxiliary lightwindow (23) adjacent to the camera window (22), an auxiliary lightsource (8) being disposed in the rear of the auxiliary light window (23)and emitting light in photographing with the camera (7), a main opticalcover (4) made of a transparent resin being mounted on the casing (1)for covering the display window (21), the camera window (22) and theauxiliary light window (23), the main optical cover (4) being formedwith a transparent display window cover portion (41) and a transparentcamera-window cover portion (42) opposed to the display (6) and thecamera (7), respectively, and having an opening (43) formed at aposition opposed to the auxiliary light window (23), an auxiliaryoptical cover (5) being fitted around the opening (43), a flange (53)projecting from an outer periphery portion of the auxiliary opticalcover (5), a flange portion (25) surrounding the auxiliary light window(23) being formed on the casing (1), an edge portion (43 a) defining theopening (43) being formed on the main optical cover (4), the flange (53)of the auxiliary optical cover (5) being held between the flange portion(25) of the casing (1) and the edge portion (43 a) of the main opticalcover (4).
 2. A portable telephone with camera according to claim 1,wherein an adhesive layer is interposed between opposed faces of theflange (53) of the auxiliary optical cover (5) and the edge portion (43a) of the main optical cover (4), and between opposed faces of theflange (53) of the auxiliary optical cover (5) and the flange portion(25) of the casing (1), to secure the auxiliary optical cover (5) to thecasing (1) and the main optical cover (4).